How Melissa Ben-Ishay Pivoted From Being Unemployed To Becoming Queen Of Cupcakes

Being fired from a job can be psychologically damaging. Many individuals experience high anxiety, depression and a feeling of decrease in self-worth. In a society where people are defined by their titles, being unemployed is a strike to the ego. As a result, some people find other positions, while others find this as an opportunity to start their own companies. 

Melissa Ben-Ishay, founder and CEO of Baked by Melissa, took an unexpected experience and turned it into a growing organization. She embraced the cupcake craze and created her own staple, bite-sized treats. 

“It’s important to have a business model that sets you apart from the others in your category,” Ben-Ishay explains. “The bite-sized nature of our cupcakes solves for a couple of things. It allows you to try every flavor and have this awesome, happy, fun experience without feeling like you had five cupcakes. They also don’t have paper. And our unique packaging as well. Those three aspects really set us apart from everyone else in the category. I believe that to be why we are still standing today.”

Ben-Ishay began her career as a sales assistant for a media company. She then transitioned to a role in advertising. However, her time at the company didn’t last long. A human resources personnel announced over a loudspeaker for Ben-Ishay to report to the office. Blindsided, she found herself unemployed. Afterward, she met up with her brother, Brian, who immediately encouraged her to start baking because that’s what she did best. He told her that they would strategize how they could build a company around her baking ideas. 

As Ben-Ishay designed new edible creations, her brother helped develop the business model and strategy. “He believed in me and the cupcakes I had been creating,” she smiles. “It was his vision that really built the company; obviously, we did it together. But I didn’t have the confidence in myself and my product that he did. And so, it was a period of time that I knew I had the chance to do what I love. And therefore, I did everything I possibly could to achieve that goal of doing what I love every day.”

From day one, they decided to bootstrap the business. Instead of focusing on raising funds, they focused on human capital instead. The executive team needed to complement one another’s strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, the company has partnered with organizations like Girls Inc., Every Mother Counts, Dress for Success that share its desire to make a positive impact for women.

For 12 years, Ben-Ishay served as a role model in the baking kitchen and as the company’s president, where she focused on the product and brand. Then, a little over a year ago, the CEO left the post at a moment’s notice, and the board appointed her as the new CEO of Baked by Melissa. She’s applying everything she learned from her brother and the former CEO to run the business. Already, she’s focused on Q4 flavors for the holiday rush. 

As Ben-Ishay continues to expand the company and continuously develop as a leader, she focuses on the following essential steps:

• Be ready and willing to dedicate the necessary time and research it takes to learn something new. 
• Learn how to see every challenge as an opportunity to do something different. Obstacles are a way to learn and grow and even level yourself up.
• Don’t underestimate the power of networking. Ask connections for guidance and help. People want to see you succeed. Ask your network to connect you to others who can help.

“Confidence is earned through your experiences,” Ben-Ishay concludes. “I am becoming more confident every day through the new experiences I’m having and sticking to my core values as a human, always doing what I believe is right. I learned that I could only control the way I respond to the things that happen. I can’t control anyone other than myself. That was very pivotal for me and my confidence because each time I controlled my response, I learned that it was the right thing to do. When you’re in business, every day is a new challenge, a new problem. And so you learn to expect those challenges and problems. Through dealing with each one, you gain more confidence.”